Centrifugal clutch and switch



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CENTRIPUGAL CLUTCH AND SWITCH Filed July 1o, 1928 2 sheetssheet l 3471*4 7 l 4 4.1 4&5 3s 6 54. #50 3 I 24- n /D ze l I l ..5/

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` GENTRIFUGAL CLUTCH AND swITcH l Filed July 1o, 1928 2 sheets-"sheet-2v Patented Jan. 26, 1932 UNITED WILLIAM A. CHRYST, OF DAYTON, OHIO,ASSIGNOR T@ DELCO-REMY CORPORATION, F DAYTON, OHIG, A CORIORATIN 0FDELAWARE CENTRIFU'GAL CLUTCH AN D SWITCH Application filed J'uly 10,

- vide a speed responsive switch which will operate in conjunction withthe centrifugal clutch referred to.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unitary structure forconnecting a power operated shaft with mechanism to be driven thereby,said unitary structure comprising a iywheel and means for connecting itwith the power operated shaft, a pulley or other power'transmittingmember and a centrifugal clutch for connecting said member with thepulley.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the present sinvention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: t

Fig. 1 is alongitudinal sectional view of a unitary structure embodyingthe present invention and comprising a centrifugalclutch and centrifugalswitch.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the clutch engaged and theswitch open.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the switch and is viewed on the plane ofthe line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fi 3.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are sectional views on the lines 5 5, 6 6 and 7 7respectively of Fig. l, Fig. 7 being a fragmentary view.

The unitary power transmitting structure which may be attached toadriving shaft indicated by numeral 20 comprises a flywheel 1928. SerialNo. 291,629.

21 attached by a set screw 22 (see Fig. 6) to the shaft 20, a drivingclutch plate 23, a floating driving clutch plate 24, a driven clutchplate 25 carrying ,friction inserts 26, and a driven pulley or othertransmitting device 27 to which the plate 25 is attached by screws '28.The pulley 27 is provided with a bearing 29'journalled upon the shaft20: The bearing 29 is formed preferably of a porous metallic structurecapable of absorbing lubricant which is fed to it from a small reservoir30 provided by that portion of the hub of pulley 27 which extends beyondthe end of the shaft 20. One wall of the reservoir 3() is provided byplug 31 of felt or other fibrous oilabsorbing material and the plug-31is retained in position by a metal plug 32 through which oil may besquirted through a hole 33. The plate 23 and a paper gasket 35 areattached by screws 36 to the flywheel 21. The driving plate 24 issupported for rotary and axial movement by the flywheel 21. Toaccomplish this a plate 37 is attached to the iiywheel 21 by rivets 37 aand is provided with apertures 38 each surrounded by an annular flange39 which provides a guide bearing for a stud 40 attached at one end tothe plate 24. There are preferably three studs 40 for supporting theplate 24 for endwise movement. The studs 40 are each attached at theirother ends to a plate 41 having a central aperture 42 for receiving theshaft 20. Springs 43 each ysurrounding a stud 40 are confined in aninitial state of compression between the plate 41 and the plate 37 andyieldingly urge the plate 24 away from the plate 23 in order that thedriven plate 25 will be normally disconnected from the driving plates 23and 24. The speed responsive means for moving the plate 24 toward theplate 23 in opposition to the action of the springs 43 includes aplurality of balls 44 each of which is guided for radial movement by thewalls of a pocket 45. Each pocket 45 is defined by a poi-tion of theplate 24, by a pair of parallel cars 46 integral with the plate 37 andby asurface 47 provided by the web 48 of the flywheel 21, said surface47 being oblique to the plane of the plate 24. It is therefore apparentthat as the speed of the shaft 2O increases, the balls 44 will moveradially outwardl and in an oblique path due to engagement with theoblique surfaces 47. Therefore the plate 24 will be moved toward theiight in the drawings and will be wedged against the friction inserts 26of the plate 25 and will cause them to be frictionally engaged also withthe plate 23, as shown in Fig. 2. Thus, above a certain predeterminedspeed of the shaft 20, the shaft will be connected with the pulley 27through the friction clutch provided by the plates 23 and 24 and inserts26. As the speed of the shaft decreases, the springs 43 will beincreasingly effective to i move the plate 24 out of frictional engage-`ment with the inserts 26 and to cause the plate to force the balls 44against the oblique surfaces 47 so that the balls will finally bereturned to normal position shown in Fig. 1.

Thus the friction clutch will be disengaged below a certain speed of theshaft 202 There is clearance between the pulley 27 and the hub of theflywheel 21 so that the inserts 26 may move endwise away from the plate23.

The centrifugal means for controlling the clutch operates also tocontrol an electric circuit for an electric motor which drlves the shaft20. As shown, this motor may be an induction motor having a squirrelcage armature carried by the shaft 20 which 1s journalled in a pluralityof bearings, one of which is shownat '51 supported by the frame 52 ofthe motor. The motor includes a field frame 53 carrying stator polepieces 54 and stator windings 55. The induction motor 1s provided with astarter circuit which is maintained normally closed by a pair of switchcontacts and 61 carried by leaf spring conductors 62 and 63 respectivelyconnected with terminal plates 64 and 65 respectively. These parts areinsulatingly supported by the motor end frame 52, with the parts 62 and64 1n engagement and parts 63 and 65 1n engagement as shown in Figs. 3and'4. The leaf spring 63 is'normally biased so as to maintain vthecontact 61 separated from the contact 60. When the motor is at rest thecontact 61 is held in engagement with the contact 60 due to the actionof the springs 43 which press the plate 41 against two projections 66extending from aplate 67 which is pivoted upon a screw 68 so as toswing-laterally relative to the motor end frame 52. The -plate 67 isprovided with a central hole 69 for receiving the shaft 20, the shaftpreventing the pla-te 67 from rotating about the screw 68. The free endof the plate 67 carries a stud 70 which bears against spring conductor63 and maintains the contact 61 in engagement with the contact 60.

When the balls 44 move outwardly to engage the clutch members, the plate41I is moved toward the right from the position shown in Fig. 1 to thatshown in Fig. 2, in order to permit the plate 67 to Swing away from themotor frame 52 and to permit the spring conductor 63 to separate thecontact 61 from the contact 60.

The centrifugal clutch and switch mechanism may readily be disassembled.After removing the set screw 22, the unitary assembly of flywheel,pulley, centrifugal clutch and centrifugal switch controller 41 may beremoved from the shaft 20. After removing the screw 68, the plate 67 maybe removed from the motor. After removing the screws 80 which attach theswitch members to the frame and after disconnecting the wires 81 and 82from the switch members by removing the screws 83, the switch contactsand terminals may be removed from the motor.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention ashereindisclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understoodthat otherforms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of theclaims which follow.

Whatis claimed is'as follows: 1. A ball spacer for a centrifugal clutch,comprising in combination, an annular ball support having a series ofball receiving pockets, said ball support including a series of inclinedsurfaces arranged about the hub of the support, each of said surfacesforming a wall for its respective pocket and a plate having a series ofpairs of ears extending inwardly, each pair of ears forming walls for apocket, said'plate being attached to the hub of said support.

2. .A combined flywheel, clutch and driven-member unit adapted to bemounted upon a drive shaft and comprising, in combination, a flywheelhaving'its web portion narrower than its rim; a -plate attached to oneside of the rim and cooperating withthe rim and web to define a chamberwithin the confines of the rim; a pulley; a driven member attached tothe pulley; and a centrifugal means located wholly within said chamberand guided thereby for connecting the ilywheel with the driven member.

3. A combined fiywheel, clutch and drivenmember unit adapted to bemounted upon a drive shaft and comprising, in combination, a flywheelhaving its web portion narrower than its rim; a plate attached to .oneside of the rim and cooperating with the rim and web to define a chamberwithin the confines of the rim; a pulley; a driven plate attached to thepulley, said driven plate member being located between the flywheelplate and flywheel web; and centrifugal means within said chamber andguided thereby for causing the two plates to be engaged.

4. A combined iiywheel, clutch and drivenmember unit adapted to -bemounted upon a drive shaft and comprising, in combination, a'flywheelhaving its web portion narrower than its rim; a plate attached to oneside of the rim and cooperating with the rim and web to define a chamberwithin the confines of the rim a driven plate adjacent to the 1 plateto'be gripped by the other plates.

5'.l A centrifugal clutch `according to claim xv1.0"4,. in lwhich thecentrifugal means. comprises weight members driven by the drivv ing:member and guided thereby for lateral i oblique movement relativethereto and engageable with the third plate.

v`r15V In testimony whereof I hereto affix my` v signature.

WILLIAM A, CHRYST.

